The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

not, however, the same seat with me.’ Sudhanwan
said, ’Father and son. Brahmanas of the
same age and equal learning, two Kshatriyas, two Vaisyas
and two Sudras, can sit together on the same seat,
Except these, no other can sit together. Your
father used to pay his regards to me, taking a seat
lower than that occupied by me. Thou art a child,
brought tip in every luxury at home and thou understandest
nothing.’ Virochana said, ’Staking
all the gold, kine, horses, and every other kind of
wealth that we have among the Asuras, let us, O Sudhanwan,
ask them this question that are able to answer.’
Sudhanwan said, ’Let alone your gold, kine,
and heroes, O Virochana? Making our lives forfeited,
we will ask them this question that are competent.’
Virochana said, ’Wagering our lives where shall
we go? I will not appear before any of the gods
and never before any among men.’ Sudhanwan
said, ’Having wagered our lives, we will approach
thy father, for he, Prahlada, will never say an untruth
even for the sake of his son.’

“Vidura continued, ’Having thus laid a
wager, Virochana and Sudhanwan, both moved by rage,
proceeded to that place where Prahlada was. And
beholding them together, Prahlada said, ’These
two who had never before been companions, are now
seen together coming hither by the same road, like
two angry snakes. Have ye now become companions,—­ye
who were never companions before? I ask thee,
O Virochana, has there been friendship between thee
and Sudhanwan?’ Virochana said, ’There
is no friendship between me and Sudhanwan. On
the other hand, we have both wagered our lives.
O chief of the Asuras, I shall ask thee a question,
do not answer it untruly!’ Prahlada said, ’Let
water, and honey and curds, be brought for Sudhanwan.
Thou deservest our worship, O Brahmana. A white
and fat cow is ready for thee.’ Sudhanwan
said, ’Water and honey and curds, have been
presented to me on my way hither. I shall ask
thee a question. Prahlada, answer it truly! are
Brahmanas superior, or is Virochana superior?’
Prahlada said, O Brahmana, this one is my only son.
Thou also art present here in person. How can
one like us answer a question about which ye two have
quarrelled? Sudhanwan said, ’Give unto thy
son thy kine and other precious wealth that thou mayst
have, but, O wise one, thou shouldst declare the truth
when we two are disputing about it.’ Prahlada
said, ’How doth that misuser of his tongue suffer,
O Sudhanwan, who answereth not truly but falsely,
a question that is put to him? I ask thee this.’
Sudhanwan said, ’The person that misuseth his
tongue suffers like the deserted wife, who pineth,
at night, beholding her husband sleeping in the arms
of a co-wife; like a person who hath lost at dice,
or who is weighed down with an unbearable load of anxieties.
Such a man hath also to stay, starving outside the
citygates, into which his admission is barred.
Indeed, he that giveth false evidence is destined to
always find his foes. He that speaketh a lie on